Sẵn sàng du học – Câu "Could I borrow your pen?" sẽ mang sắc thái lịch sự hơn hẳn câu "Can I borrow your pen?", dù chỉ khác một từ.
| Impolite | Polite |
| I want another hamburger. | I'd like another hamburger. |
| What? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| You're wrong. | I think you might be mistaken. |
| Hey, where's the bathroom? | Excuse me, could you tell me where the bathroom is? |
| Do this today. | It would be great if you could do this today. |
| Who are you? | May/Could I ask/have your name? |
| Can I borrow your pen? | Could I borrow your pen? |
| Can I say something? | Can I just say something here, please? |
Thái Hải (SSDH) – Theo 7 ESL
